Henry Radclyffe, 4th Earl of Sussex facts for kids
Henry Radclyffe, 4th Earl of Sussex (around 1530 – December 14, 1593) was an important English noble. He was also a Knight of the Garter, which is a very special award.
Contents
Life of Henry Radclyffe
Henry Radclyffe was born in England. His parents were Henry Radclyffe, 2nd Earl of Sussex and Elizabeth Howard. He became a knight on October 2, 1553. This was a big honor!
Early Career and Parliament
Henry was chosen to be a member of Parliament several times. He represented Maldon in 1555 and Chichester in 1559. This meant he helped make laws for England.
Time in Ireland
In 1556, Henry went to Ireland to help his older brother, Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex. While there, he became an advisor to the government in 1557. He also led a group of soldiers on horseback.
In 1558, he was put in charge of Maryborough Fort. He faced a challenge when Irish forces surrounded the fort. He later became a member of the Irish House of Commons for Carlingford in 1559. Two years later, he was put in charge of the areas of Leix and Offaly. He worked hard to keep these areas peaceful. He faced some difficulties related to money for soldiers, but he was later released from prison and left Ireland. In 1577, he was given some land in County Kilkenny and County Wexford.
Roles in England
Back in England, Henry was given important jobs. He became the lifelong constable of Porchester Castle and was in charge of Southbere Forest starting in 1560.
In 1571, he was chosen to be a Member of Parliament for Hampshire. He also became the warden and captain of Portsmouth, its castle, and the nearby island. He worked very hard in this role until he passed away. In 1572, he was elected as an MP for Portsmouth.
Earl of Sussex and the Arts
On June 9, 1583, Henry became the Earl of Sussex after his brother passed away. He took on some debts that came with the title. For about ten years, he was a supporter of a theater group called The Earl of Sussex's Men. This group performed plays by famous writers like Shakespeare at The Rose (theatre). Some of the plays they performed included Titus Andronicus and Richard III.
Helping England's Defense
In 1586, Henry was busy looking into a possible plot against the Queen in Portsmouth. He also watched for suspicious ships near the coast. In 1588, he played a big part in getting supplies and gunpowder ready for the ships that were going to fight the Spanish Armada. This was a huge fleet of ships sent by Spain to invade England. For his great service, he was made a Knight of the Garter on April 22, 1589.
Henry Radclyffe passed away on December 14, 1593. He was buried in Boreham, Essex, next to his brother and his wife.
Family Life
On February 6, 1549, Henry married Honora Pound. She was the daughter of Anthony Pound. Henry and Honora had two children:
- A son named Robert Radclyffe, 5th Earl of Sussex (born June 12, 1573 – died September 22, 1629). Robert married Bridget Morrison.
- A daughter named Jane Radcliffe.
